Happy Turkey Day
by Kadasa-Mori
Summary: Oneshot. Sarah’s finally bringing home a friend for thanksgiving, Richard! And it’s a guy!


**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything/one/place from the Labyrinth. I own everything else! Mwahahaaaa!

**Summary:** Sarah's finally bringing home a friend for thanksgiving, Richard! And it's a guy!

**Timeline:** Sarah is eighteen. Toby is four. Takes place about three years after the Labyrinth.

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**Happy Turkey Day**

**By Kadasa Mori**

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Muttering under her breath, Karen Williams stirred the mixture, eyes flickering over the pages of her cookbook as she frantically tried to get everything ready. Guests were set to arrive in less than two hours and the pie hadn't gone in the oven yet!

"Hey Karen?"

She turned from her recipe and found Sarah hovering in the doorway. "Good morning Sarah. Finally up?"

She was shot a dirty look then a hesitant one "Er… would it be possible for one of my friends to spend Thanksgiving with us? He's got nowhere else to go as his family left him behind."

"A friend?!" Karen chirped happily then nodded, mentally counting off who would be there and how many servings there'd be leftover. "It should be fine as long as he can stand our family, our grandparents and _you_."

Sarah made a face at her then smiled. "Thanks Karen!"

As she bound away, Karen turned back to her cookbook. "Add three teaspoons of -_him_?! Sarah!"

The brunette returned a moment later. "What?"

"Him?!"

She turned red. "Not that kind of him! Just a friend!"

"Hm…" Karen smirked. "Interesting."

"_Karen_!"

"Yes?"

"Not _that_ him!"

"Not what him?" Her father asked as he stepped into the kitchen. He kissed the top of her head. "Good morning lovely."

"Morning Daddy. Karen's being mean."

"Oh are you now?" he asked his wife who rolled her eyes.

"I'm just teasing," she replied and gave him a kiss. "Besides, Sarah said she was bringing a friend home for Thanksgiving."

"Oh?" Richard asked happily. "Finally?"

"A _guy_ friend home."

His eyes widened and he turned to Sarah with a grin. "My baby's growing up! Now where is this young man? I must tell him the rules."

"Dad! He's not my boyfriend! He's just a friend with nowhere to go!"

"That's how it starts my dear."

"No it doesn't!" She crossed her arms with a pout. "Is this going to happen all night long?"

Karen and Richard sighed. "No…"

"Good. Then I'll go call him and tell him to come over." With a 'hmph!' she turned on her heel and stalked off.

Karen shot a look to her husband who grinned wickedly. "Now, now Richard. We can't tease all night."

"We won't have to. The entire family will be here. Sarah's doomed."

With a laugh, she turned back to her baking, Richard pouring himself a cup of coffee and heading back into the living room to watch the rest of the parade.

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When the doorbell rung at ten to two, the noise began. Richard's brother had arrived with his wife, their parents, and their three boys aged eight, five and three. Toby and his three year old cousin were put together to play, the eight-year-old taking a seat in front of the TV to play video games and the five year old clinging to his mom for attention.

Fifteen minutes later, Karen's brother, his wife, their parents and his four kids, two girls aged sixteen and twelve, and two boys aged seven and 16 months. The older boy joined the eight year old at the TV and the younger was passed to grandparents. The two girls asked where Sarah was and immediately joined their cousin as she walked into the room.

Twenty minutes went by, Karen wondering where Sarah's '_friend_' could be. As the doorbell run once more, Sarah stood and went to answer it. "Oh!" came her voice from the front hall. "So you finally made it?"

"Apologies," came a silky voice. "I had some trouble when I tried to leave."

"Hm. Well I apologize for the insanity."

"It's no problem. I have to deal with you on a normal basis, don't I?"

"Shut up."

As he stepped into the living room, Karen fought to keep her jaw from dropping. _Well… waiting for her first boyfriend certainly paid off. This guy's gorgeous!_ Wild blond hair, mismatched eyes, blue jeans a black sweater and a black leather jacket over that.

Sarah flushed dark red as she realized she had most of the living room's attention. "Family, Jareth. Jareth, family." He nodded once.

"Gobwin!" Toby shouted from his corner and giggled, arms rising.

Jareth turned to him and smiled. "Hi Toby." He plucked him up. "How've you been?" Toby just giggled and hugged his neck then squirmed to get down and dragged him over to the coloring station.

As though Toby's acceptance was acceptance for everyone, noise started back up. Sarah turned even darker red as her aunt squealed and wrapped her arms around her. "Oh you finally caught a prince my dear!"

"Aunt Mary! It's not like that!"

Her other aunt walked over and batted her arm. "Oh they all say that in the beginning!"

Karen glanced at Jareth who was smirking wickedly, his back to the flame colored Sarah who was trying to deny all charges against her. "It's dinner time everyone!" There was a flurry of action, everyone heading to the kitchen to fill their plates.

Jareth stood to follow Sarah but Toby grabbed his pant leg and tugged him towards the kitchen. Sarah smirked at him but he grabbed her waist and tugged her after him, leaning to murmur something in her ear. Whatever it was, her eyes widened then narrowed dangerously. Karen instantly winced, wondering what fate would fall upon the young man but Sarah merely scowled at him and put her nose in the air.

"Wow," Karen's brother Mark said. "That was pretty amazing. Kudos to this kid."

Karen nodded. "Sarah plus anger usually means frying pans get thrown. The fact that she just scowled is… well it's a Thanksgiving miracle."

"I know. Last time I saw her angry was that Christmas Party in '02." Both shuddered.

"What Christmas party?"

They turned to Jareth who looked curious, Sarah furious. "We promised never to speak of that again!" she snapped.

"You promise my dear," Mark started.

"We merely laughed," Karen finished.

Jareth glanced between the two adults and Sarah. "What Christmas Party?"

Mark put a hand on Jareth's shoulder. "Sorry son, but you'll have to attend several more holidays before you can learn family secrets."

"It'd better be one hell of a story to get me to attend any more family gatherings," Jareth murmured. Sarah's lips twitched in amusement, but she shook herself and scowled again.

"You won't be hearing the story. _Ever_."

"Ah, my dear. Don't you know it's my duty to learn about stories? After all, we met because of a story."

She rolled her eyes. "Come on Toby. Let's cut the line and get some chow!"

Toby cheered and they disappeared into the kitchen. Jareth smirked and turned to Karen and Mark. "The story?"

"You attend Christmas and New Years and we'll tell you at the following party."

"Agreed." He gave them a half bow. "After you."

Karen grinned widely. "This one's definitely a keeper." Jareth just smiled.

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Turning to once again find Jareth, she found the blond still in the grasp of her mother. She was talking, which meant Jareth's ear was probably bleeding. The blond, however, merely smiled in amusement and offered to refill her cup. Karen wondered how he could stand to listen to her babble. She could hardly stand twenty minutes of her chatter and the last time she'd spotted where the blond was… well it'd been nearly a half an hour!

She nudged her brother who scowled at her as his beer nearly spilt. "What?"

"Look at where our newcomer still stands."

He looked around her and his eyes widened. "Good lord! How is he still alive?"

She shrugged and was about to call him over and rescue him when Toby collided with his legs and began pulling him back towards the coloring station. He politely excused himself from his chat and followed after Toby.

Karen's sister-in-law, Susan, leaned over the back of the couch. "Hello there!" she chirped happily. Mark smiled and gave her a kiss. "Hello darling. I was wondering if my fantastic sister-in-law and her fantastic sister-in-law would help me in the kitchen with dishes?"

Karen chuckled and nodded, getting to her feet and collecting dishes. Looking around, she found Sarah in deep conversation with her two cousins. The girls looked very serious but as she passed she heard Anna, the youngest, say "and they she said 'back off! He's mine!' when he clearly wasn't hers!"

She rolled her eyes and continued to the kitchen. Dish washing seemed like a tedious job, but Karen loved it. It gave her at least twenty minutes to hang out with her near sisters, all three chatting and complaining about husbands and children and annoying next door neighbors.

A shout from the living room made Karen look in quickly. Richard's brother, Joey, and her brother, Mark, were in an argument about the football game. Jareth was watching the proceedings, arms crossed over his chest and an eyebrow rising as his eyes flicked back and forth like a tennis match. Then Sarah and her cousin walked back into the room and his eyes immediately snapped to the brunette who scowled at redheaded Anna and went to stand by him and ignore her younger cousin who immediately dragged her sister over to bug Sarah and her '_friend_.'

Karen cocked her head and slipped back into the kitchen to help aid in finishing the dishes.

"Everything alright?" Mary asked.

Karen nodded. "Just the boys and their football."

She snorted. "Let me tell you, Joey has been an absolute annoyance over this season's players."

Susan sighed heavily through her nose. "Mark as well. Those boys should've been born brothers."

Karen laughed but her thoughts fell back to the blond. Most men would glance at their girlfriends then go back to what they were doing. His attention never wavered from her unless he was speaking with someone else. It was odd to know that this young man adored her stepdaughter so without having ever met the man before.

From what she understood, they hadn't even known each other that long. It was either love or a strong crush. Hopefully for Sarah, in the end it'd turn out okay.

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"So Jareth!" Mark announced, taking a seat beside the blond on the couch, Joey on his other side, Richard in the recliner. "What team do you root for?"

Jareth shrugged. "Whichever is winning."

Joey laughed and slugged his arm. "I like this kid!"

"That's cheating!" Mark scolded. "Be a Giants fan like I am!"

"No! Patriots like me!"

Richard piped up with a "How bout them Bills?"

"No." Both Mark and Joey scolded.

Sarah leaned against the back of the couch. "How bout the Miami dolphins?"

"They're even worse than the Bills!"

"Aye but they were the first to have a perfect season and so, they rule."

Jareth shrugged. "Dolphins for me then." Sarah grinned widely as her uncles shot her dark looks.

"How dare you corrupt him?!" Joey cried.

"Miserable female!" Mark shouted.

"That I am my dear uncles. Jareth, can you help Karen as you're the nicest male in the house."

"Hey!" Richard protested.

"Besides you daddy."

Jareth nodded and stood. "Excuse me gentlemen." He followed her into the other room and Mark and Joey both turned to Richard.

"He a keeper?" Joey asked.

Richard shrugged. "Looks like it may last awhile. Let's not scare him off too badly though boys."

"Why not." Mark commented with a shrug. "If he's gonna be part of the family, he might as well know what he's getting into. Joey cackled evilly and Richard wondered why the hell he'd married someone with as insane family as he had.

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As seven-thirty dawned, people began to pack up to head home. It took nearly a half an hour for farewells to be said, leftovers to be pack and hugs to be given. Richard was surprised as Jareth's stamina. He survived all of the kids giving him hugs, Mark and Joey's attack on his football team of choice once again then battering him for a promise to be at their superbowl party, the affection of Aunt Mary and Susan, and even Grandma William's pinch on the cheek.

Once the stampede had left the house, Jareth sat heavily on the couch. Sarah and Karen went into the kitchen to make beverages while Richard took Toby upstairs to put to bed. After saying good night to the unconscious four-year-old, he came back downstairs and took a seat on the couch across from Jareth's. The blond opened a blue eye then shut it.

"Toby asleep?" he asked.

"Hm. Poor little thing was exhausted."

Jareth's lips twitched into a half smile and he opened his eyes. "_I'm_ exhausted. I've no doubt he's beyond exhausted."

"Yes but he's also used to it."

"Good point."

"I've been known to make them."

Jareth chuckled then Sarah walked into the room and Richard was surprised at how quickly Jareth's attention shot to her. She walked over and took a seat beside the blond, holding out a mug of hot chocolate to him. He murmured his thanks and she took a seat beside him. Karen did the same for Richard but with a mug of coffee.

"So Jareth," Karen asked, curling into Richard's side. "What do you do?"

"I'm a business man of sorts." He swirled the hot chocolate. "I… trade with other companies-this for that kind of stuff."

"Oh? Is there a lot of money in that trade?"

He grinned wickedly and Richard could have sworn his teeth were pointed. "When you make the right kind of trades." Sarah rolled her eyes and swatted his shoulder.

"How'd you two meet?" Karen asked.

Sarah's eyes narrowed at her. "At the park," Jareth answered. "Sarah was in her adorable costume-" Her glare shifted to Jareth, who ignored it. "And I just had to say something. We've met up a few more times since and chat online. I mentioned I'd be alone for Thanksgiving in conversation and she offered a spot in your lovely home. Thank you both for having me."

"It's no problem," Richard began.

"Wait a second…" Karen's eyes narrowed. "If you're a business man… how old are you?"

Sarah choked and turned away, coughing. Jareth smiled. "I'm only twenty ma'am. Father owned the company and I took over as soon as I turned eighteen."

Richard watched Sarah's expression as his wife drilled Jareth for another ten minutes about where he lived, who his family was, what his business did, etc. etc. His daughter's expression didn't change, but her eyes looked wary. Jareth obviously wasn't a business man. He obviously hadn't met Sarah in the park and he obviously wasn't twenty. But he trusted his daughter and he could tell how much this man adored her so… he'd give it a chance.

"I do need to be getting back soon Sarah," Jareth announced.

"Alright." She got to her feet. "I'll walk you to the door."

Richard caught his arm before he left the room. Jareth stiffened and turned to send him a confused look. "You take of her." His eyebrow rose. "I can tell how much you love her and I can tell she loves you back. She's my baby girl so… take care of her."

A smile spread over Jareth's face. "Don't worry Mr. Williams. I wouldn't hurt her." His eyes darkened dangerously and it seemed like every hair stood on end. "And I will make sure no one else ever will."

Richard held back the shiver that wanted to crawl up his spine. Even Karen, who wasn't meeting his gaze shivered. "Ah."

"Jareth! Hurry it up!" Sarah shouted from the front door.

The blond rolled his eyes, dangerous aura vanishing. "I'm coming." He nodded to Richard and headed after her. Richard and Karen snuck after them and peeked around the corner. Sarah's arms were crossed over her chest and she scowled at the blond as he walked up.

"Took you long enough."

"I was saying good bye to your lovely family."

"Oh. Well, hurry it up. You've gotta get back before they destroy everything."

"I've ordered them not to. If they do-"

"Into the bog of eternal stench?"

"No. They have to clean it up. They detest cleaning."

"Hmmm."

"Well… thank you for having me dear Sarah."

She flushed. "It was nothing. Can't be alone on Thanksgiving… it's like a sin…"

He smiled warmly. "Well thank you anyway. If you should need me,"

"Just call. I know the drill Jareth."

"Good." He leaned forward and kissed her cheek. "Good night Sarah."

She turned redder than the cranberry sauce had been. "Night!" she squeaked. He laughed and disappeared out the front door.

Richard waited until the red teen had shut the door and leaned against it with a sigh before asking, "not _that_ kind of guy huh?"

"_Da-ad_!"

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**Author's Note:** I hope you all had a FANTASTIC thanksgiving! I hafta leave for work soon and thought I should post something up before I did! And here it is, a lovely comedy/adorable one shot.

Enjoy the Turkey! I'll try and get updates on my other stories soon! Apologies for taking so long!

Have a great Thanksgiving!

**Kadasa Mori**

P.S. Didn't make it before work. Had to finish after work which is why it's so late. Sorry!


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